Spirit Photography.

Manawatu Herald, 31 May 1894, Page 3

Spirit Photography.

♦ An interesting account of " Spirit photographs " has been given by M. Fourtier in a French Scientific journal. Tho discoverer, it seems, was an American engraver, named Mumier, employed by Mr Bigelow, a jeweller of Boston. His hobby was photography, and one day in 1861, while developing a plate, he was surprised to see a faint head beside that of the model. He announced the fact in the journals, a " Sensation " was the result, he gave up the I graver, and took to the trade of , " Spirit photography " in New York. The deception flourished, and iv 1874, a new edition of the Bible, with authentic photographs of Abraham, Moses, David and others was announced. The method was'introduced, in France, and a trade in spirit photographs established. The , person desiring the photograph of some friend " gone before " had only to unite himseli in thought with a " medium " in Paris, and in a few days received the photograph. Several misadventures, however, set the public on alert. In one case a . merchant of Montreuil wished a photograph of his daughter, who was three years old when she died, and received a picture of a woman of fifty. The police finally exposed the fraud on April 22nd 1875, by discovering a dark chamber containing a lay figure draped in bluish tulle, with numerous photographic heads, which could be added to it, and devices. Particulars of the appearance of the person whose " spirit photograph " was required having been ingeniously gathered, the lay figure was adjusted and rapidly photographed, then the medium or sometimes the client, was photographed on the same plate with a longer ex posure, and both objects were developed together. The " Spirit photographers " were tried and oondemned to a year's imprisonment and a fine of 5,00fr. «• Spirit photography" never raised its head again in France, but strange to say, it flourished in England. Even eminent British men of science have been fascinated by it. In America it thrives still more vigorously, M. Fourtier gives directions for spirit photographs as follows : — * First place the spectre before a dark background and photograph it, decenting the negative to make it float in air. The drapery should be a bluish white, and the exposure very short. Next, photograph the living subject on thy sombre background, such as a library, or a wall hung with ancient armor. The exposure should be loug, so as to give 3trong definition. When the head of the spectre ia also the head of the ! subject, an " astral photograph " is ' obtained. j